Miller's Cabin
by elseven
Summary: Short one-shot for the Cabin contest.


**Mayalala, as always, THANK YOU!**

* * *

"Nick! Do you want honey mustard pretzels or chocolate covered?" Jess was filling a grocery bag with snacks from the cupboard while simultaneously crossing items off her to do list. She pulled her hair back into a quick ponytail and grabbed her cardigan from the table.

There was a loud groan from across the loft, followed by the sound of dragging feet. "I like _plain _pretzels."

She turned with her mouth scrunched to the side, eyes narrowing in on his face. "Are you going to be like this the entire weekend?" She crossed her arms, tapping her foot. "If you really don't _want _to go, then you don't have to. I'm not going to force you."

Nick knew this trick. It was the same trick women used when they said they didn't really want anything for their birthday and then would end up crying that you didn't even bother with a card. "You say that Jess but I know how this ends. It's time to go to bed and I follow you into your room when _suddenly_ you remember I didn't come with you today and you turn me around, march me back to my room, and slam to the door behind you as you leave me sitting alone in the dark."

Jess, completely overwhelmed now, gathered her bags and said in a calm voice "Nick, just stay home. I don't want to stare at your miserable mug all day."

"Am I staying or am I going Jess? Just let me know when you decide because it's not like I ever had a say from the get-go."

"I'm sorry I roped you into this okay!" She was yelling now, unable to stay calm after the week she had been having."I just...thought you'd want to spend some time together, just the two of us. Like...bonding time."

"Jess, I do but, the whole thing...and the creatures. Setting everything up. It's tiring and this is my only full weekend off this month. It's just not my idea of a nice time. "

"Oh."

Seeing the disappointment sweep over her face he corrected his statement. He realized he was pushing her too hard. It was time to be Nick Miller, good boyfriend. "But you...you _are_ my idea of nice. I love spending time with you. It's my favorite thing. So let's do this thing. And bring the chocolate pretzels. You like those."

* * *

After packing the trunk with food and boxes of equipment, they arrived ten minutes later, at Coolidge Middle School. Jess guided Nick through the school grounds to the gymnasium and unlocked the chain holding the gates closed.

"We the only ones here?" Nick asked, noticing the deserted parking lot.

"Yep, nobody wants to come at eight o'clock in the morning. It's summertime, they want to party like everyone else."

"Wow...I didn't know you were having to deal with that kind of crap." He rubbed her shoulder, feeling more than a little guilty. "I feel like a real jerk for giving you a hard time."

"It's fine. I dealt with this when I was twenty-three and just starting out. Indifferent teachers are nothing new. Some of us get stuck doing more than our share but it's worth it to see the kids so excited. I know they appreciate it...that's enough for me."

"You're pretty amazing, you know that?"

"I haven't had much time to stop and evaluate my _amazingness_ lately. So... I'm just gonna have to take your word for it." She chuckled, giving his arm a quick squeeze before turning to go inside.

They walked into the gym that smelled like stale sneakers mixed with fishsticks. Nick immediately stood up taller with memories of zits and retainers flooding back.

The backdrop on the stage was only half painted with the beginnings of trees and a lake. The makeshift prop and costume stations just below looked like they'd hardly been touched. There was enough work for _at least_ ten people, Nick thought to himself.

"Here's your project," she said pointing to a pile of plywood. "I need a cabin, 10x10, with a working door. Something you'd find in the woods."

"You want me to build something? If I had known that, I would have brought my own tools!" He pushed up his shirts sleeves and bobbed his head at the idea. "I thought I was going to be painting lily pads and flowers and birds, crap like that."

"Your tools are in the green bag and yes, I _really_ need you to build it. I kinda already volunteered you for that."

"What do you mean? I thought we're only here because the rest of the volunteers bailed."

"The other day Carrie, the set director, was complaining about how her husband was going to build the cabin but he couldn't even change her flat tire. I _may_ have started bragging about how handy you are. A lot. I told her how you always fix things at home and how in high school you and Jamie built that storage shed in your backyard... and that a little cabin was nothing."

"Really?" Nick smugly rubbed his hands together.

"Quit being so cocky Mr. Miller. I'm not proud of it. I am _not_ that girl." She started twirling her ponytail in her fingers. It wasn't true. She was proud of it. Her man could fix things. _Mhmmm,_ she thought.

"Jess, I am going to build you the finest cabin... intended-solely-for-use-in-a-school-play...ever." Sliding his arms around her waist he went in for a kiss. Something about the echo of the gym and the way she was looking at him right now, made him think he needed a little make-out session before he got started.

"Nick...be handy, not handsy." she giggled back.

"Never tell me how much time you spent bragging about my skills if you're not prepared for further demonstrations of my manliness."

Rolling her eyes as his arms squeezed her tighter, "Make yourself useful Miller."

He pecked her on the cheek, excited to get to work, "You really trust me with this?"

"Of course I do, why?"

"Nothing, it's just, this is important to you."

"Well... so are you_. _I know you've got this._" _She slapped him on the ass turning to grab her paints. The trees needed some birds and squirrels and she needed a good view of Nick and that cabin.

* * *

Nick walked into the auditorium feeling hot in his sports coat and tie. The place was packed with parents holding video cameras and children jacked up on lemonade. He scratched his head and wondered if he should find a seat alone or save one for Jess after she checked in backstage. Settling into a few rows back from the front, he listened to people around him tell stories about how excited their children were to play a fox or a bear and how parents had worked late into the night getting the eyeballs or tails just right.

All of these people had come to see what Jess had created. He couldn't imagine himself ever being so giving as she was. He had a lot to learn from her.

She came out from behind the curtain on stage and welcomed everyone, handing out thanks to the volunteers as well as parents and the other teachers. Nick chuckled to himself that despite the fact she had practically lived at the school for the last month working on this play, she was still standing up there, thanking other people. His chest tightened as he looked at her sweet face, her gentleness. He'd made the right move helping her. It felt good now.

When she was done with her speech, she walked down the front stairs and took her seat next to him. He took her hand in his as the lights dimmed and the curtains pulled back. That's when he saw it. Above the front door of his fake log cabin was a sign, painted in yellow with an acorn in the corner..._Miller's Cabin_. He laughed to himself as she turned to smile at his realization.

He leaned over to her and whispered, "Can we spend tonight in Miller's cabin, I'd like to show you some of my special tools I used in there."

She laughed, finally looking relaxed. Hitting his arm and squeezing his fingers, she leaned over and kissed his cheek just as the first student came out dressed like a raccoon.


End file.
